A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch-Chapter 158 - 130: One Thousand Strikes, Mastery Achieved

Li Yuan was very surprised. From the first day Bai Qi ran to the Big Punishment Kiln to observe blacksmiths selecting materials, stoking fires, and forging, he noticed that this young man seemed very enthusiastic about ironworking.

But as the foremost Master Craftsman in Yihai Prefecture, Master Li judged from intuition that Bai Qilang lacked the talent to become an artisan.

In the realm of craftsmanship, innate talent is crucial if one wishes to achieve greatness.

Otherwise, even a lifetime's learning amounts to no more than mediocrity.

When Li Yuan himself was an apprentice, he only needed to assist his master seven times to learn how to forge the cheapest ten-refinement steel knife.

This is talent!

In just three short years, he leaped from apprentice to a registered craftsman who could independently forge standardized weapons with fifty-refinements.

In less than another three years, he invented the casting and forging method of the Wind-listening Saber, which astonished the entire Baisheng Factory and gained fame throughout the Weapon Craftsman Guild.

If not for meeting an ill-suited master who couldn't tolerate a disciple exceeding him.

Li Yuan should have taken over Baisheng Factory to become a Top-Grade Master Craftsman by now, rather than leaving in conflict to join the military at Celestial Water Prefecture.

Even though he later became famous for his hammer skills and returned triumphantly to establish his kiln, he wasted many years, delaying his craftsmanship.

"Hundred Refinements Hand, Bear-like Waist, Gilded Finger, White Jade Palm… all are middle-grade martial bones, talent for artisans.

He has none of these!"

The tall white-haired elder squinted his eyes with some doubt. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

How could Bai Qi, who couldn't even swing a hammer properly for over ten days, suddenly have an epiphany?

Could I have been mistaken?

Clang! Clang clang! Clang clang clang—

Bai Qi swung the small hammer swiftly, almost creating afterimages, as sparks flew onto the large iron anvil.

"Is this truly good talent for ironworking?"

Uncle Hui, assisting alongside, had a numb expression, pulling the bellows to stoke the furnace flames.

Allowing Bai Qi to periodically reheat and continue stretching and folding.

A piece of Yangxiao Steel in the hands of an apprentice could easily be worked to the level of ten refinements; with some skill, fifty refinements were no problem.

This is how good materials benefit an artisan.

They can significantly enhance the quality of the forged weapons.

But breaking through to a hundred refinements isn't so simple.

The books in the craftsmanship trade are clear: for iron that contains steel, it is like a dough with tendons; wash away the soft parts, and the tendons are revealed, akin to refining steel.

Take the finest iron for over a hundred fires, weigh after every forging, and if it loses no weight after many hammerings, then it is pure steel, unconsumed even after a hundred refinements.

Simply put, it's repeatedly folding and forging a piece of iron material into multiple layers.

The final weapon created is sharp enough to slice through iron effortlessly, capable of cutting through thirty layers of iron armor.

This is hundred refinement!

Yangxiao Steel inherently has excellent quality—enough toughness, strength, and hardness, making crafting a hundred refinements not difficult.

But it depends on who it's for!

For someone like Bai Qi, who hasn't even learned the techniques of large and small hammers, even a piece of Divine Iron might be ineffective.

"Three hundred strikes!"

Uncle Hui's eardrums buzzed. He couldn't believe Brother Bai could actually produce a hundred-refinement piece.

Had all his years of learning to forge gone to waste?

"Five hundred thirty-seven strikes..."

Lu Shiping was dumbfounded; this isn't just about random hammering, it has to be done continuously, with each strike squeezing out impurities, testing the artisan's endurance and skill to the extreme.

"Eight hundred forty-two strikes!"

Chao Sanjing felt a chill down his spine; this Brother Bai is a true ironworking prodigy, able to forge Yangxiao Steel with less than twenty practice sessions.

Wasn't Master also like this in his youth?

"Are they all dumbfounded? Uncle Yang, what's going on?"

Standing outside the shed, He Jingfeng was a bit bewildered, watching Brother Bai strike blow after blow, then these people, as if possessed, started counting, becoming more excited and thrilled as they counted.

"Seventh Young Master, your Brother Bai might be a born ironworking genius!"

Uncle Yang explained with a breath of cold air.

After all, he's known in the Celestial Water Prefecture and not lacking in experience.

Understanding how terrifying it is to achieve hundred-refinement steel without a master's guidance.

It's akin to mastering the initial stages of refining power, tackling the first training pass, without having access to martial arts manuals.

Such a person, thrown into the craftsmanship trade, will eventually reign supreme with their skills!

"Can Brother Bai really forge iron? That can't be right; I've been hanging around the Big Punishment Kiln every day with him, so why haven't I realized even a bit?"

He Jingfeng expressed skepticism. Among his peers in the thirteen trades of Yihai Prefecture, he's considered a fairly promising talent.

"Uh, Seventh Young Master, you have aptitude for Daoism; how could you be doing such an ungraceful task as ironworking."

Uncle Yang spoke with quite a bit of tact, eyes fixed on Bai Qi swinging the hammer, thinking:

"If Bai Qilang indeed forges a hundred-refinement piece, is there a chance that Master Li might be so intrigued as to take him under his wing?"

Li Yuan closed his eyes, seemingly feeling the operation and infusion of Bai Qi's Qi Blood and Refined Power as he swung the hammer, then opened them, his eyes increasingly filled with amazement and brilliance:

"Nine hundred and ninety-eight strikes! It's really going to succeed!"

Bai Qi, standing by the furnace, with his face flushed hot, borrowed the rebound force of the hammer blow to lift it high again before smashing it down heavily!

Clang!

Nine hundred and ninety-nine strikes!

Every part of his body seemed to tremble, his muscles and bones emitted intense vibrations.

"Blacksmithing is no easier than martial arts training! To forge a piece of Hundred-refined Steel, even reaching the completion of my first training pass nearly exhausts me to death!"

Bai Qi was panting like an ox, sweat soaking through his robe.

The ninety-nine hundred hammer swings almost drained all his strength.

"Just one last hit to go."

Everyone's eyes were fixated on that tall figure, more precisely, on the right hand holding the small hammer.

If this blow could produce a crisp, powerful sound,

then this piece of Yangxiao Steel would be considered forged.

"Blacksmithing... is indeed more invigorating than fishing!"

The streams of breath Bai Qi inhaled and exhaled felt scorching, like knives cutting his chest.

He clenched his fingers tightly, employing the Golden Core Great Strength Skill, grounding himself in a horse stance, his spine rising like a dragon, with every thick tendon taut and entwined.

Clang!

The one thousandth hammer strike!

Sparks splashed and soared, almost hitting Uncle Hui in the face.

"Did it succeed?"

His eyes were filled with astonishment.

"It succeeded!"

Lu Shiping and Chao Sanjing were dumbfounded, as if stunned.

Then they all turned their heads in unison, looking toward their master who had walked out of the wooden house.

"It succeeded."

Bai Qi's mind buzzed, a black talisman flickered—

[Skill: Blacksmithing (Beginner)]

[Progress: 100/800]

[Effect: Only through a thousand refinements can true steel be born]

"Just knowing blacksmithing won't make you a Top-Grade Master Craftsman. The process of weapon forging involves more than this step.

You all, making a fuss, lacking composure.

In the ordinary days, spend more time learning to nurture your qi from your master."

Li Yuan spoke calmly, his expression unchanged.

"It seems that Master has no intention of taking on apprentices."

Lu Shiping thought to himself with regret, knowing that junior apprentice Li Jun might not have another opportunity to enter the Big Punishment Kiln. If the vacant closed-door disciple spot could be filled by Brother Bai, it wouldn't be a bad thing at all.

He's a natural born blacksmith, able to forge Hundred-refined Steel without even formally apprenticing!

"Master's teaching is right."

Chao Sanjing slowly quelled the astonishment in his heart, sighing that the old ginger is spicier.

Faced with Brother Bai's astonishingly gifted performance, even the master could remain calm and composed.

If it were him, he wouldn't hesitate to take him on as a disciple, passing on his legacy.

"Qi Lang forged a piece of Hundred-refined Steel and is also tired. You two keep him for a meal. Hmm, slaughter that Spiritual Sheep in the shop, enough for lunch and dinner."

Li Yuan instructed calmly.

"Got it. Master, what about Young Master He? He came with Brother Bai."

Lu Shiping nodded in agreement.

"Take him on a casual tour with the second one. A single Spiritual Sheep isn't enough to share among so many people."

Li Yuan waved his hand impatiently.

"Oh, by the way, second one, let the Daoist Official bring out the Snow-Stepping Steed that goes eight hundred miles a day."

Chao Sanjing was stunned for a moment, seemingly surprised:

"Master won't stay for a meal with us?"

Li Yuan shook his head:

"Not in the mood. I'll take your horse out for a ride."

Chao Sanjing felt puzzled inside, wondering when his master developed a fondness for riding a horse on a whim?

After the two apprentices left, Li Yuan maintained his demeanor of gazing far into the distance, exuding the aura of a serene sage.

He slowly unclenched his tightly held hands behind his back, thinking:

"Next, head straight to Black River County! What gift should I bring to Tongwen Hall to persuade Master Ning or that Brother Dao to let Qi Lang learn weapon forging from me?"